Five Christmas Projects Coming Right Up… November 19, 2009
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Cheryl says… oh, it’s been a while my knitting friends! I’ve been toiling away on a few things which I won’t be able to post until January. I’ve decided to make ALL of my Christmas presents this year, a lofty task to say the least, especially considering that I haven’t even finished one holiday project!
First, I’ll be making something using Lion Brand Cotton Ease which, as you may already know, is a personal favourite of mine. I won’t say what the project is but here’s a hint: it’s a cable-knit pattern and it’s been heavily featured on this blog!
I’ve also picked up a project from the latest issue of Knitty. I was going to use black and white Patons DK, but this gorgeous wool tweed is catching my eye. I may have to make another trip to my LYS. Hmmm….
[photo credit]
I’m also going to be embarking on my first felting project! I’m a little nervous and have no idea what yarn to use. Suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
As for Wil’s present …
That’s super-classified-top-secret. Seeing as he visits this blog from time to time, that’s all I’m saying.
And now, back to the needles. I will post more soon, providing I don’t develop a bad case of carpal tunnel.
Crunch Time October 27, 2009
Posted by cheryl in Finished Projects, Leah, Scarves.add a comment
Leah says … That’s right. Christmas is less then two months away. It’s time to get down to business. Firstly, here is my brother’s girlfriends scarf to take with her to Ireland. They leave TONIGHT at 10:30 pm for a year. It is all a bit crazy and surreal. I can’t believe I won’t see my brother for a year! Good Luck, Brother! Anyway, I digress….
I still have about 8 presents to knit. I’m almost finished a couple of them. AND I found cute little ornament patterns to knit in Knit Simple Holiday 2009 magazine- they are sooo cute. I’ve knit about 5 ornaments already. I might attach an ornament to each present, but that is if I finish them pronto!
Since my last blog, I have learned a few things. They are:
Magic Loop (LOVE IT!)
Cables (LOVE THEM!)
Icord (it’s ok. I kind of think its annoying and I have no clue why.)
I have very successfully knit my first pair of Bella’s mittens. I say 1st pair as I am definitely going to knit them again. I’m halfway through a project for my sis with this super bulky yarn that I’m in desperate love with. It is so nice to knit with. I can’t stop touching it. (Dirty!) I’d also like to knit an afghan. That will be my Winter project. That will be for ME. This whole ‘knit all my presents’ thing is very consuming, but I truly am loving knitting them. I can’t wait to see everyone’s face when they see what their item is.
Also- another digression- I’m going to New York City for New Years Eve. We are flying on aeroplan and renting an apartment for 4 nights. I am saving every sheckle for that, and am beyond excited. Anyone know any knitting stores in New York City I have to stop at?
Peace out!
Luke’s hat for the Green Isle and Other Thoughts on Knitting September 24, 2009
Posted by cheryl in Hats, Leah.add a comment
Leah says … My brother and his girlfriend are travelling to Ireland and the UK for a year leaving at the end of October. After I dealt with my raging jealousy issues, that he can just get up and go like that, I decided to knit him and his girlfriend little items to keep them warm this winter. Although I hear that Ireland in the winter just rains a lot, maybe this will still come in handy. AND this means they won’t be here for the holidays, so they will still get some presents, at least. The patterns are from, you guessed it, SnB. The scarf is the basketweave stitch scarf from SnB Nation which I LOVE. I know, I KNOW I need to move AWAY from the Stitch N Bitch books. And I fully intend to do that, but a) I was ill and bored a couple of weeks ago and b) That is one thing about SnB I love- I can find an easy ‘knit in a few hours’ pattern that uses up all the yarn I have.
Next up, I’m knitting one of my dearest friends the Bella’s Mittens pattern from Subliminal Rabbit. Everyone else in our Knitting Circle has, so its time for me, too, and I’ll get to finally learn my cables and the magic loop. PLUS I have this Alpaca wool from the KW Knitters Fair that I got for super cheap that is gorgeous.
THEN I’ll be knitting with linen for the first time which I
m actually excited about. (I’m SUCH a flippin knitting dweeb. That honestly excites me. Knitting with linen yarn. Whatever!!!!) I found this grogeous table runner on ravelry with scalloped edges, and that will be for the bf’s cute parents for Christmas.
I recently reread our early blogs on here and realized I have done some serious damage to my to do list I posted way back in February! Great satisfaction, that.
I’m stumped on what to knit my Pops for Christmas. Anyone have ideas for knitted gifts for Dad’s?????
Hi, my name’s Leah. You may remember me from such Blogs as… September 16, 2009
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Leah says … I have completed another yoga mat bag BUT this one is for my friend for Christmas. She is in to yoga and I think she’d probably use hers more then I use mine. I actually read the whole pattern this time and noticed I was supposed to use two strands together for the strap, so this one is better and stronger then mine. It’s ok, that’s how presents are supposed to be, right? I’m almost done knitting an oh so easy Moms Sophisticated scarf (from SnB Nation) for my brother’s gf, they are travelling Ireland for a year and I’d like to help keep them warm in the winter months! That is almost done. I have also knit my first hat for my brotrher and J has put in an order for that too. I have been doing lots of knitting, but not lots of blogging. Photo’s and blog on that coming soon!
Also, I had the best time of my life this past Saturday September 12th. Why? Kitchener Waterloo Knitters Guild Knitting Festival!! We all drove up there and drooled to our hearts content and made off with some amazing deals. You know how Carrie Bradshaw drools over Manolo’s? Well that was us over the bundles and bundles of yarn and knitting tools. If you went, those girls you heard saying, “ohhhhh ahhhhhhh ooooooooo” and blissfully sighing loudly…. that was us!
Next project I am finally learning the cables!
My Yo-Mat July 8, 2009
Posted by cheryl in Accessories, Finished Projects, Leah.1 comment so far
Leah says … It’s done! Well, it was done about two weeks ago, but all you knitters know what summer is like.
This bag is ok. It works. That’s why I knit it. It does what I need it to do. Nuff said. The yarn is from some store on Queen that Emily went to, she gave me this yarn, so ask her about it. It is tres fab. LOVED knitting with it.
Next on the list is a christmas gift for another friend, but I’m stumped! It’ll probably end up being a funky scarf.
1 dropped st scarf, 1 pair of mittens and an ipod cozy are complete. Coming up next- yoga mat bag! June 2, 2009
Posted by cheryl in Leah, Work in Progress.2 comments
Leah says… It appears I have not slowed my knitting down with the arrival of warm weather. Ummm, well living in Toronto, I can’t really say that warm weather has arrived actually, more like; made an appearance. But still, I knit on! I have completed my first christmas present, the mittens and drop stitch scarf are for a friend.
I hope that friend doesnt read this blog, but she might, so lets hope if she does she doesn’t know they are for her, and if she does know, then maybe she’ll forget by Christmas time. Anyway, one present is done. Now I’m knitting a yoga mat bag, which I am very excited about. That’s because I have bought this Passport to Prana yoga pass- google it, would you, it is such a fantastic deal!!! I’ve started yoga classes! So I’ve got my yoga mat, and in SnB Nation, there is a pattern for a bag to fit it called “Om Yoga Mat Bag” – it seems to measure VERY big (11″ diametre- who has a yoga mat that thick, huh?) so I’m knitting it to fit my own bag. (4″ in diameter)
As for the toddler mittens- the designer, bex at Colourful Designs saw the pics on my ravelry account and asked to use pictures of them on her design page of her website, cool, huh?
After the yoga mat bag, I’m back to knitting presents- two table runners (made out of linen wool, easy for summer knitting yay!!) and then, ah, gee, who knows? It is bicycle season, so J and I will be out a lot this summer, hopefully!
Stay tuned for yoga mat pics coming soon to this blog that’s hopefully near you!
C to the U-TE May 13, 2009
Posted by cheryl in Finished Projects, Leah, Mittens.Tags: toddle fingerless gloves
3 comments
Leah says … Aren’t they adorable? I’m not the type of person to swoon over baby clothes and toys and things, but these…? They have been making me coo and caw ever since I knit the 1st centimetre. The little thumbs! The little palms!!
There is a bit of an issue with the thumb on the right hand- the left hand is great, but for some reason the right hand thumb gusset didn’t come out the same. I even knit the right hand mitten again and it came out the exact same. I can’t wait to see them on the recipient, a two and a half year old sweetheart, soon to be a big sister!
Next I am thinking of taking Marri’s advice and knitting with cotton and linen, seeing as I really hate not working on a project. And I just found an easy and gorgeous table runner pattern knit with linen that can make a nice gift for my Momsie for Christmas.
My new dream? To move to Niagara-on-the-Lake and open a knitting store. And be a wine connoiseur. And act at the Shaw Festival. Happy Knitting, and Happy Long Weekend!
Leah’s Sanity: In tact. May 7, 2009
Posted by cheryl in Finished Projects, Leah, Shells & Wraps.5 comments
10 mm needles: Not broken in a small tantrum I may or may not have thrown
Patons Soy Wool Stripes: Almost used up
Spiderweb capelet: Blocked and on my Mom’s shoulders
Leah says … I have successfully completed the capelet. Do you like it? I really do like it. It’s not perfect, the front doesn’t really match up and that’s why poor Mom has to hold that one piece but when she’s not holding it, it looks fine. And I think she looks nice in it! Sweet ole mumsie. Happy early Mothers Day!
Next project I have cast on is Toddler Armwarmers. This time I am learning to knit with dpns and small ones at that, 2.75 mm, with 4 ply yarn. I love how wee everything is, I think they are going to be pretty cute! The pattern is free from ravelry, if you search for Toddler mittens it is called Toddler Colourfull Mittens by Bex at www.colourfuldesigns.com So far I really like the pattern, it is pretty easy to follow. Emily told me when I first started knitting, to do “exactly what the pattern tells you to do”. So when I get confused I remember that, re-read the instruction and manage my way through it. The pictures do help me, though!
I wonder what I’ll do when it starts getting warmer out and I won’t be knitting as much. It makes me sad to think about it. I’m going to have to find a way!
I finished my Bella’s mittens … May 4, 2009
Posted by cheryl in Cheryl, Finished Projects, Mittens.Tags: Bella's Mittens, Paton's Yarn, Shetland Chunky
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Cheryl says … Actually, I finished these a couple of weeks ago. I would have posted a pic sooner, but I don’t have a camera so I have to rely on Will’s.
Can I just say that it’s extremely difficult to blog about knitting when you don’t have a camera???
I’m saving up for one, and by the way things are going, I should be able to get one sometime in 2011…
Anyway, I used Paton’s Shetland Chunky for the mittens and I like the way they turned out. If you look closely, there are white flecks in the yarn and it’s very pretty -and affordable.
I like affordable.
Right now I’m working on Knitty’s eyelet skirt and I’m about 75% complete. I’ve decided to put the fair isle gloves on hold, because making them would require buying more yarn. I just happened to have 5 balls of Cotton Ease in my yarn stash, so the eyelet skirt made sense.
I have nothing but good things to say about this pattern. I was a little apprehensive about the way a knit skirt would look but I’ve been pleasantly surprised. The eyelets look great, if I do say so myself, and the pattern is SO easy to follow.
You should try it!
My spring forward socks are about 90% complete, but they’ve been put on the back burner. I’m heading up to Algonquin in a couple of weeks and I hope to finish them then.
Let the long weekend countdown begin!
It’s only two weeks away…
SnB has wonky patterns!!!! April 28, 2009
Posted by cheryl in Accessories, Leah.Tags: knit ipod cover
2 comments
Leah says … I’m knitting the Spiderweb Capelet found in SnB Nation book. I first knitted it according to the erratta. This is no good. On ravelry, another member who had knit the same capelet was praising the erratta and suggesting that future knitters of the spiderweb capelet projects should use it. It looked so bad. There was no blocking that could save it. It was way too long on one side, it decreased very suddenly and caused a lot of stress tyring to get it right, so my first attempt was frogged. Now, I’m knitting it again, not via the erratta, and it is working out, so far. I have to count the stitches mercilessly, though, and I wish on the pattern at the end of each row it would specify exactly how many stitches should be on the needle bBecause there are yarn overs and the lacework can get very tricky. I shall post pictures soon of my work in progress.There is one row that is to be the bain of my existence. It states I should “K1, k1 without dropping st off needle, yarn over. p1 without dropping st off needle, yo, and then I repeat that again., So I have discovered what it is I am to do, but wow wow wee wow- it is rough.
In the meantime, I knit J a iphone cover, which is pretty cute, Here it is. I learned how to change colour, that was fun! I’m not sure I did it right, but it looks good, so cheers to me.
Happy Knitting!
